There is currently a trend towards performing orthopedic surgery utilizing minimally invasive techniques. For example, minimally invasive total knee arthroplasty is currently an emerging method of performing surgery of this type. While there are benefits to utilizing these minimally invasive surgical techniques (i.e.—quicker recovery time, less scarring, etc . . . ), there are also requirements and difficulties associated with the methods.
One standard step in many orthopedic procedures, whether minimally invasive or not, is the resection of a bone surface. For example, one of the steps in a knee arthroplasty is the resection of the proximal tibia. During a minimally invasive procedure on the tibia, it is necessary to protect the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), or in certain cases, both. The lack of visibility and/or lack of operating space induced by the minimally invasive procedure makes protecting the ligaments even more difficult. Cutting these ligaments may force a surgeon to abandon his or her minimally invasive technique in favor of a more tradition surgical approach and require the use of stabilizing insert (e.g.—posterior stabilized insert or total stabilized insert).
For the foregoing reasons, there exists a need for a ligament protection device to protect the ligaments during a minimally invasive procedure.